Weighing-machine



No. 6|6,854. Patented Dec. 27, I898. F. H. RICHARDS. WEIGHING MACHlNE.

(Application filed Nov. 29, 1897.)

5 SheetS Sheet I.

(No Model.)

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No. 616,854. Patented Dec. 27, I898. F. H. RICHARDS.

WEIG'HING MACHINE.

(Application filed Nov. 29, 1897.)

5 $heets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

Witnesses:

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am 9 8 7a 2 Q 8 D U B t n 6 t a P S D Du A H Pu R H F 5 m 6 m N WEIGHINGMACHINE.

(Application filed Nov. 29, 1897.)

5 Sheets-$heet 3.

(No Model.)

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N0. Gl6,854.

Patented Dec. 27, i898; F. H. RICHARDS.

WEIGHING MACHINE.

(Application filed Nov 29, 1897.)

5 Sheets-Sheet 4.

(No Model.)

[Even/tor Winessas;

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Patented Dec. 27, I898.

No. eus,a 54.

F. H. RICHARDS.

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(Application filed Nov. 29, 1897.3

5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

(Nb M odel.)

Mamas.- 2MM vur. Nuams PEYEIS c0. vwmouwq. wnsnmoww, 0 cv UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS II. RICHARDS, or HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT;

WElGHlNG-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 616,854, dated December27, 1898.

Application filed N0ve1nhei'29, 1897. Serial No. 660,119. (No model.)

T0 66 whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANCIS H. RICHARDS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State ofConnecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inVeighing-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to weighingmachines, one object of my presentinvention being to furnish a weighing-machine comprehending aload-receiver having a closer, streamsnpplying means, including a valve,and improved valve-actuating instrumentaliiies operative with the closerand effective at predetermined points in the movements of the closer forimparting opening and closing movements to said valve, and including alocking device effective for locking the valve in its closed positionwhen the closer is open.

A further object of the invention is to provide, in connection with aload-receiver havin g a closer and with stream-supplying means,including a valve, means for effecting interinittently-interruptedadvancing movements of the closer, a valve opening and closing actuator,including a shiftable valve-locking device operative with the closer andeffective during the first and last stages of the advancing andretracting movements, respectively, of the closer for imparting closingand openin g movements, respectively, to the valve and also effectiveduring the intermediate stages of the opening and closing movements ofsaid closer for locking the valve against movement.

In the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification,Figure 1 is a front elevation of a weighing-machine embodying my presentimprovements, parts thereof being broken away. Fig. 2 is a sideelevation of a weighing-machine as seen from the right in Fig. 1 andshowing the stream-controlling valve in its wide-open position and theother parts of the w-ighing machine in their normal positions, parts ofthe framework being broken away to more clearly illustrate the otherparts of the machine, the closer and a portion of the valve-actuatorbeing shown in dotted lines. Fig. 3 is a similar side elevation of theweighing-maehine, showingin dotted lines the closer in its intermediatenonment.

discharging position and the valve in its drip position. Fig. 4 is asimilar side elevation of the weighing-machine, showing the partsthereof in a position slightly in advance of the positions illustratedin Fig. 3, the valve being in its drip position and the locking devicebeing held against valve-locking move- Fig. 5 is a similar sideelevation of the weighing machine, showing the parts thereof in thepositions they occupy during the discharge of the load from theload-receiver, the closer being in its wide-open position and thevalve-locking device of the valveactuator being in locked engagementwith the valve and holding the same against opening movement, a portionof the framework and a portion of the discharge-conduit of theload-receiver being broken away; and Fig. (i

is a plan view of a portion of one of the scalebeams and the by-passstop carried thereby.

Similar characters designate like parts in all the figures of thedrawings.

The framework for supporting the operative parts of the machine, andwhich may be of any suitable general construction, is shown comprising achambered base 3, having a load-discharge conduit 3, the discharge endof which is of materially less area than the entrant end thereof, andthe two side frames or uprights 2 and 4, connected together at theirupper ends by the top late 5, which supports a supply-hopper H, whichmay be of any suitable general construction and which is shown supportedin the usual manner.

The weighing mechanism of the machine comprises, as shown, the beammechanism and the load-receiver supported thereon. The beam mechanism,in the form thereof shown in the accompanying drawings, and which beammechanism may be variously modified, as desired, is of the duplex-beamtype, it consisting of the two oppositely disposed scale-beams B and B,having knife-edges intermediate their poising and counterpoising ends,which are supported in the usual manner on knife-edge bearings onbrackets on the side frames. Each beam comprises, as usual, two parallelarms secured together at their outer ends by a counterweight W.

The load-receiver, which is designated by G and which is shown of thesingle-chambered type, is supported on the poising ends of the twoscale-beams in the usual manner. This load-receiver, which may be ofanysuitable construction, is shown having at the discharge end thereof adepending discharge chute or conduit, (designated in a general way byG,) which comprises two side walls 6 and '7, constituting an extensionof the side walls of the main portion of the receiver, and a curvedfront wall or material-retaining plate 8, having a portion of the lowerend thereof cutaway, as at 9, to form an outlet for the material. Thelower edges of the two side walls of this conduit are preferablyinclined, as shown most clearly in Fig. 5 of the drawin gs. Thisdischarge-conduit G projects normally a considerable distance into thedischarge-conduit of the base 3 of the framework.

As a means for controlling the discharge of the material from theload-receiver I have provided a closer, which is designated in a generalway by L, and which in the preferred form thereof shown in theaccompanying drawings comprises a closer-plate l0, pivotally supportedbetween the two side walls 6 and 7 of the discharge-conduit of thereceiver, the same being fixed to the rock-shaft 12, jonrn aled insuitable hearings on the side walls of said discharge-chute near theupper end thereof, the closer-plate having its forward discharge end inclose proximity to the inner face of the front wall 8 of said chute anddescribing in its oscillation a path concentric to said wall. This wall8, which constitutes a load-retaining wall cooperative with the closerfor preventing the escape of material until said closer has traversed apredetermined distance in its advancing movement, is shown extendingdownward from a point snbstantiallyin horizontal alinement with the axisof the closer to a point intermediate the ends of the are through whichthe discharge end of the closer-plate travels, said wall being of alength less than the length of said are.

As a means for imparting a closing movement to the closer after the loadis discharged said closer is furnished with a closer-shutting actuator,shown in the nature of a weighted arm 13, iixed to the rock-shaft 12,and as a means for preventing a retractive or closing movement of thecloser until after all of the material has passed from the closer-plate1O 1 have provided a regulator, which is shown in the nature of a plate14, depending from and fixed to the lower side of the closer-plate 10,said regulator extending in an oblique plane somewhat beyond thedischarge end of the closer-plate and being of such disposition thatwhen the closer is in its wide-open position the lower end of theregulator-plate 14 will extend into the contracted end of thedischarge-chute of the base 3 and will be held in this position by thematerial passing between said plate and the forward wall of said chuteafter the same leaves the discharge end of the closer-plate, saidmaterial blocking,

through the medium of the regulator-plate 14, the closing or retractivemovement of the closer until the material has descended below the outerend of the regulatonplate.

In my present machine the closer of the load-receiver is intended tohave successive intermittently-interrupted advancing move ments, or, inother words, the advancing movement of the closer is divided into aplurality of successive stages. During the first stage of the advancingmovement of the closer the discharge end of the plate is intended totravel from the upper end to a point in close proximity to the lower endof the materialretaining wall 8 of the discharge-conduit of theload-receiver, said wall preventing the escape of material from thecloser during this stage of the advancing movement thereof, and duringthe last stage of said advancing movement the upper face of thecloser-plate will be carried below the lower end of the retaining-wall8, thus permitting the discharge of material through thedischargeopening 9 of the chute G.

For the purpose of intermittently interrupting the advancing movement ofthe closer L at predetermined points in such movement I have providedcloser-arresting instrumentalities, which in the preferred form thereofshown in the accompanying drawings comprise a stop-arm or stop-engagingarm 15, fixed to the rock-shaft 12 of the closer and extending outwardlytherefrom in a plane oblique to the closer-plate 10 and having at theforward end thereof two stop-engaging portions orprojections 1t and17,1'espectivcly, and two successively-effective stop devices,(designated by s and s, respectively) the former of which is mountedupon an extension 18 on the posing end of one of the beams and is inposition for cooperating with the stop-engaging portion 16 of thestop-arm 15, and the other of which is mounted on a bracket 10, fixed toone of the side frames and disposed in the path of movement of thestop-engaging portion 17 of said stop-arm 15, with which the samecooperates to arrest the advancing movement of the closer.

The stop device 5 is shown in the nature of a by-pass stop,it consistingof a resilient plate fixed to the forward end of the extension 18 of thebeam and having a head or projection 20 disposed in the path of movementof the portion 16 of the stop-arm 15, said by-pass stop 8 being adaptednormally for engaging the projection or stop-engaging portion 16 of saidcloser-arm 15 and holding the closer in its fully-closed position.

The stop device 3 is shown in the nature of a gravitative by-pass stop,the same being pivotally supported on the end of the bracket 19 andhaving an arm 21 disposed in the path of movement of the projection orstopengaging portion 17 of the closer-arm 15 somewhat in advance of thearm-engaging end of the stop device .9, this by-pass stop being adaptedfor temporarily arresting the advancing movement of the closersubsequent to the release of stop device from the stop-engaging arm.

By constructing and organizing the closerstopping instrumentalities, asherein described, it will be seen that when the closer is in itsfullyclosed position the projection 16 of the stop-arm 15 will be inengagement with the resilient stop member s, which will block theopening movement of said closer until during the descent of the receiverthe poising end of the beam B descends far enough to carry the workingend of the resilient stop device .9 below said project-ion 16 to releasethe arm 15, whereupon the closer will gravitate from the position shownin dotted lines in Fig. 2 to the position thereof shown in Fig. 3. Onthe arrival of the closer at the position thereof illustrated in Fig. 3the stopeugaging portion 17 of the closer-arm 15 will engage the stopdevice s,which temporarily ar rests the advancing movement of the closerand holds the same in an intermediate nonload-discharging position, asshown in Figs. 3 and 4,1111 til the weighing mechanism com es to a truly-poised position and the load-receiver has descended suliioiently torelease the closerarm 15 from said stop members, whereupon said closerwill gravitate to the wide-open position. (Shown in Fig. 5.) Theseby-pass stops 5 ands are disposed at successive points in the arctraversed by the forward end of the stop-engaging arm 15 and permit,through the medium of the weighing mechanism at successive points in thedescent of the loadreceiver, successive advancing movements of thecloser, each advancing movement being of a predetermined range.

During the first stage of the advancing movement of the closer, whichmay be oonsistently called the non -discharging or ineffective advancingmovement of said closer, the escape of the material supported on thecloser is prevented by the retainingwall 8 of the discharge-chnte G ofthe loadreceiver. The disposition of the stop .9 is such as to stop thecloser at the end of the first stage of its advance movement and preventthe discharge end of said closer from descending below theretaining-wall until the load is fully made up and the beam mechanismhas come to a truly-poised position.

As a means for controlling the supply of material to the load-receiverlhave provided an oscillatory valve V, comprising a cut-off plate 25,having supporting-arms 26 and 27, fixed to pivot-arms 2S and 28,journaled in bearings on the side walls of the hopper I'l, said platebeing oscillatory across the discharge end of and controlling thedischarge of material from the hopper II and as a means for actuatingthe valve I have provided a valve opening and closing actuator,(designated in a general way by 0,) which operatively connects thecloser L and valve V and embodies a valve-locking device adapted at apredetermined point in the movement of the actuator for locking thevalve against movement.

In the preferred construction and organization illustrated in theaccompanying drawings the valve opening, locking, and closing actuatorcomprises a vertically disposed thrust rod or link 29, pivotally fixedat its lower end to the closer-shutting actuator, a horizontallydisposed locking-lever 30, pivotally connected intermediate its ends tothe upper end of the thrust-rod 29, and a link 31, pivotally connectedat its upper end to a crank-arm 32, fixed to one of the pivot-arms ofthe valve V, the lower pivoted point of the link 31 being preferably inclose proximity to the upper pivotal point of the link 29. The link 29is provided at its upper end with a projection 50, which is adapted totravel in the longitudinal and diagonally-disposed slot 51 in theguide-bar 52,fixed to the side frame 2.

The locking-lever 30 is shown furnished intermediate its ends with atransverse curved valveengaging projection or flange 320, extendingoutward from one side thereof, and the edge of the cut-off plate of thevalve has a lock-notch formed therein to receive the locking projectionof the locking device or lever 30, the disposition of the flange 320 andlock-notch 33 being such that when the valve is in its fully-closedposition and the locking-lever is ascending the flange 320 will enterthe lock-notch 33 and prevent an opening movement of said valve.

As a convenient means for insuring a val veclosing movement of thelinkage comprising the links 29 and 31 during the first stage ofadvancing or opening movement of the closer and preventing at this timea valve-locking movement of the locking device 30 the locking-lever 3Onormally is pivotally supported or fulcrumed nearits extreme forward endon a stud or projection an on the side frame of the machine, the lever30 having a notch 3a in the lower edge thereof, which constitutes a seatfor the pin 34:, and said lever is normally looked at this end againstmovement, so that on the ascending movement of the closer-shuttingactuator 13 the links 29 and 31, together with the rearward end of thelever 30, will have an upward thrust imparted thereto, which thrust iscommunicated directly to the crank-arm of the valve for imparting aclosing movement of said valve. The closing movement of the valve isarrested by a suitable stop device, shown as pin 35 on the framework,disposed in the path of movement of one of the supporting-arms of thevalve-plate.

For the purpose of locking the forward end of the lever normally againstmovement I have provided a gravitative or reactionary bypass latch L,having a catch 87, which normally engages a projection 38 on the lock ing-lever 30, this projection being preferably located above and in closeproximity to the axis of oscillation of this end of the lever. When thelatch L is in engagement with the ICO locking-lever 30, thelocking-lever will, during the opening movement of the closer L,

oscillate on its forward axis 3%, the rear end thereof being carriedupward a short distance above the normal position (shown in Fig. 2)during the upward thrust of the link 2'.) but not sufficiently as tobring the locking-flange 320 thereon into the path of movement of thecut-off plate of the valve. Thus it will be seen that during the firststages of the opening movement of the closer the linkage 29 and 31 willbe operative for directly transmitting a valve-closing movement to thevalve. \Vhen the valve has arrived at its fully-closed position inengagement with the valve-stop 85, it is desirable that the latch L bereleased from engagement with the valvelocking lever to enable thelinkage to impart a valve-locking movement to said lever during the laststage of the opening movement of the closer. For this purpose I haveprovided, in operative connection with the valve, a latch-tripper 40,shown as a depending arm, lived to one of the pivot-arms of said valve,with its lower end disposed in position to engage the latch I. justpreceding the arrival of the valve at its fully-closed position, theorganization of the latch-tripper being such that the catch 37 of thelatch L will be thrown out of engagement with the projection on theforward end of the locking-lever 30 substantially concurrently with thearrival of the valve V at its fully-closed position, at which time thefurther closing movement of the valve is arrested by the projection 35,which blocks the upward thrust of the link 31, causing the locking-leveron the continued ascending movement of the closer-shutting actuator tohave a valve-locking oscillatory movement on the pivot 31, or where itis connected at its rear end to the link 01, as will be readilyunderstood by a comparison of Figs. 2 to 5, inclusive, of the drawings.

The construction and organization of the valve opening, locking, andclosing actuator and the instrumentalities for governing the successiveadvancing movements of the closer are such that during the first stagesof the opening movement of the closer, or during its movement from theposition shown in Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig. 3, the valve will beshifted from a wide-open to a drip position, and during the last stageof the advancing or opening movement of the closer, or in its movementfrom the position shown in Fig. e to that shown in Fig. 5, the valvewill be shifted to its fully-closed position and then looked in thisposition, where it will be held against opening movement until thecloser has passed through the first stage of its closing movement andhas entered the second stage of said movements. On the retract-ive orclosing movement of the closer the valvelocking device of thevalve-actuator will be first shifted from the valve-locking positionthereof (shown in Fig. 5) to its normal unlocked position, after whichthe actuator will then become cl'lective for imparting an openingmovement to said valve, the closer being returned to and relocked in itsnormal shut position so quickly after the valve is unlocked that thematerial in its descent from the hopper II will not have had time toreach and exert an opening stress upon the supportingplate of thecloser.

Having described my invention, 1 claim 1. The combination, with weighingmechanism including a load-receiver provided with a closer and ascale-beam, said closer having two independent and successive stages ofaction on its opening movement, of stream-supplying means including avalve; means iueluding a stop on the scale-beam for holding the closershut during a predetermined period, the construction being such that thecloser will be released at a predetermined point in the descent of thescalebeam; and independ ent means for subsequently stopping, and thenreleasing, the closer.

2. The combination, with weighingmechanismincludingaload-receiverprovided with a closer and a scale-beam,said closer having two independent and successive stages of ac tionon-its advancing movement and being provided with an arm, ofstream-supplying means including a valve and two independent by-passstops, carried, respectively, by the scale-beam and by the framework anddisposed in thepath of, and adapted successively to be engaged by, saidarm.

The combination, with weighing mechanism including a load-receiverprovided with a closer having two independent and successive stages ofaction on its advancing movement and with stream-supplying meansineluding a valve, of a valve opening and closing actuator operated bythe closer and including a locking device.

4. The combination, with weighing mechanism including a load-receiverhaving a closer and with stream-supplying means ineluding a valve, of avalve opening and closing actuator directly connecting the closer andvalve and operative, at predetermined points in the movements of thecloser, for imparting closing and opening movements to said valve, andembodying a shiftable device for locking the valve in its closedposition when the closer is open.

5. The combination, with weighing mechanism including a load -receiverhaving a closer having two independent and successive stages of actionand with stream-supplying means inclnding a valve, of a valveaetuatorincluding a shiftable valve-locking device operative with the closerandeffective, during the first and last stages of the advancing andretracting movements, respectively, of the closer, for imparting openingand closing movements, respectively, to the valve, and also eitective,during the intermediate stages of the opening and closing movements ofsaid closer, for locking the valve against movement.

6. The combination, with weighing mechanism including a load receiverhaving a closer and with stream-supplying means includin g a valve, of avalve-actuator operative with the closer and comprising twoshiftablyconnected successively-effective devices one of whichconstitutes a valve-locker and is actuated by the other.

7. The combination, with weighing mechanism including a load-receiverhaving a gravitative selfshutting closer and with stream-supplying meansincluding a valve, of an actuating connector between the closer andvalve and embodying a vertically-reciprocatory valve-actuating linkageand an oscillatory locker pivotally connected to said linkage andeffective, during the latter stages of the upward movement of thelinkage, for locking the valve against movement.

8. The combination, with weighing mechanism includin a load-receiverhaving a closer, of stream-supplying means including an oscillatoryvalve; a valve-actuator peratively connecting the closer and valve andincluding a shiftably-connected valve-locking device; a latch fornormally holding the locking device against movement; and meansoperative with the valve for releasing the latch at a predeterminedpoint in the movement of the actuator to facilitate an engagement of thelocking device with the Valve.

9. The combination, with weighing mechanism including a load-receiver,of streamsupplying means including an oscillatory valve having a catch;a valve-actuator operatively connecting the closer and valve andincluding a shiftably-connected valve-lock ing device having a catchcooperative with the catch of the valve for locking the same; a by-passlatch operative, during the first stages of the valve-closing movementof the actuator, for holding the device against valvelocking movement;and means operative with the valve, during the last stage of thevalveopening movement of the actuator, for tripping the latch to effectavalve-en gaging movement of the locking device.

10. The combination, with an oscillatory scale-beam and asupporting-frame therefor and with a load-receiver mounted on said beam,of an oscillatory load-discharger having a stop-en gaging arm; a seriesof stops disposed at different points in the path of said arm, and oneof which is mounted on the scale-beam and the other of which is mountedon the frame, the stop on the frame being adapted to arrest the motionof the closer when said. closer is approximately midway between itsclosed and Wide-open positions; and means for preventing the escape ofmaterial when the movement of the closer is thus stopped.

11. The combination, with an oscillatory scale-heam and asupporting-frame therefor and with a load-receiver mounted on said beam,of a gravitative closer mounted on the load-receiver and havinga stop-engagin g arm two stop devices mounted one on the scalebeam and the otheron the frame at different points in the path of movement of thecloserarm, and the former of which is effective for normally holding thecloser shut, and the latter of which is effective for interrupting theadvancing movement of said closer; streamsupplying means including avalve; a valve locking and actuating device operatively connecting thecloser and valve, and effective, during the advancing movement of thecloser from one stop device to another, for shifting the valve from itswide-open to its drip position, and effective, on a further advancingmovement of said closer, for shutting and then looking said valve.

12. The combination, with weighing mechanism including aload-receiverhaving a closer having two independent and successive stages of actionon its openingmovement and with stream-supplying means including avalve, of a valve closing, locking, and opening actuator operativelyconnecting the closer and valve.

13. The combination, with weighing mechanism including a load-receiverhaving a gravitative self shutting closer and with stream-supplyingmeans including a valve, of a valve closing, locking, and openingactuator directly connecting the closer and the valve, and effective,during the first and last stages, respectively, of the opening movements of the closer, for shutting and locking the valve, and, during thefirst and last stages,respectively,of the closing movements of saidcloser, for unlocking and opening said valve.

14:. The combination, with weighing mech anism including a load-receiverhaving a gravitative self shutting closer and with stream-supplyin gmeans including a valve, of a stop-arm carried on the closer; stopdevices disposed at successive points in the path of, and cooperativewith, said stop-arm, and op erative, respectively, at predeterminedsuccessive points in the descending movement of the load-receiver, fortemporarily arresting the advancing movement of the closeigtherebycausing the same to have step-by-step move ments; and a valve openingand closing actuator operatively connecting the closer and valve.

15. The combination, with weighing mech anism including a load-receiverhaving a gravitative self shutting closer and with stream-supplyingmeans including a valve, of a stop for limiting the closing movement ofthe valve; a valve opening and closing ac tuator operatively connectingthe closer and valve, and comprising two devices one of which isefiective, during the opening movement of the closer, for shifting thevalve into a closed position and into engagement with the stop, and theother of which is effective, on the stopping of the valve, for lockingsaid valve against movement.

16. The combination, with weighing mechshutting said valve, and saidmeans embodying a valve-locking device effective, subsequent to thecomplete closure of the valve, for locking the same against openingmovement; and means for blocking the valve-locking movement of thelocking device during the closing movement of said valve.

FRANCIS II. RICHARDS.

\Vitnesses:

F. N. CHASE, FRED. J. DOLE.

